


Sleeping Beauty

by die_wiederkehr



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Cute things, Fluff I guess, Gen, I do what I want, M/M, au-ish, enchanted river shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-20 06:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/884006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/die_wiederkehr/pseuds/die_wiederkehr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Legolas and Bofur for into the forest for a day of relaxation. The rain forces them to head back but a slip in the mud causes one of them to take a sudden swim in the Enchanted River.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleeping Beauty

**Author's Note:**

  * For [breakofday](https://archiveofourown.org/users/breakofday/gifts).



For once, the day seemed promising. Few if any spiders or orcs drew near enough to warrant a large guard being sent out into the forest and the sun almost found it’s way through the trees, giving a faint feeling of warmth around them. The earth and grass was damp with rain from a night before, adding a fresh scent to the air and reviving the spirits of the elves that came out to hunt. 

Including the spirit of the young elf who was happily leading Bofur through the forest that day. His clothes were light and would be called weather appropriate if elves were terribly bothered by the changes in weather. And he’d had clothes specially tailored for Bofur, according to the dwarfs preferences, to make up for when Legolas had bled all over what he’d had with him during his stay. Both were armed, no one entered the forest without weaponry, but they had no plans to hunt or clear any nests.

This was one of the few times either of them entered the forest without worrying about what they might find, worrying for the safety of the others or of someone who had wandered into the forest without knowing the dangers. 

As they walked along the paths, talking of anything and everything that came to mind, including the elflings that sometimes gave Bofur no peace or the attempts at establishing a new trade route that Legolas made. A couple of times they made jokes and laughed, their walk eventually turning a bit aimless until they came on the Enchanted River. Legolas gave a soft sigh, seeing the boat moored on the opposite side of the river. For a moment he considered shooting an arrow and rope to draw it back but, with a few words from Bofur, both decided to wait on that side of the river until the hunters that used it returned.

So the two sat at the edge of the river, careful not to dip their toes into the water. Bofur took out a piece of wood and his knife, starting to whittle, which immediately drew Legolas’ attention. The elf had constantly enjoyed watching the unassuming chunk of wood become something amazing, something that Bofur could see in it that Legolas couldn’t. The sound of Bofur’s soft breathing and his knife as it shaved pieces of wood away was relaxing. Several hours of the morning were spent simply sitting there by the river, a small figurine being formed in the dwarfs hands.

“It’s amazing how you start carving and make your imagination come to life. I’m not sure I could do half as well, even with all the years I have to try.” Legolas commented lightly, watching as the dwarf paused in his work to raise a brow at the elf. A hand moved to run over the wood during Bofur’s pause and he smiled at the texture, how smooth each piece ended up without needing any extra time added to keep children from getting splinters.

“You’ve just gotta remember t’ follow th’ grain on th’ wood.” A good natured laugh was held back, lighting up his eyes. He went back to work a moment later, the figure already mostly shaped and only a few cosmetic liberties left to be taken.

For all the time they sat there and simply enjoyed one anothers’ company, the air grew cool and damp as the previous nights rain threatened to return. The elf sighed softly, looking disappointed at the loss of free time in the forest and that the hunting party hadn’t returned quick enough for him to show Bofur more of the realm. When both had finally pulled themselves to their feet, reluctant to go, rain had already started falling and the weight of it on the trees became too much and it fell onto them.

Dirt turned to slippery mud and they knew they’d need to clean up a bit by the time they returned to the safety of Thranduil’s Halls. Legolas helped Bofur up and his hand lingered for a moment before falling to his side. He paused for a moment, glancing back to the other side of the river to make sure that they weren’t walking away from a returning party before turning to go. Only to stop in his tracks as his companion gave a cry, slipping in the mud and sliding towards the river. Legolas reacted before thinking, leaping forward and grabbing the dwarfs hand, yanking him back to safety but throwing his own balance off.

Eyes widening in panic, Legolas was plunged into dark water and instinctively gasped. Water went down his throat, making it hard for him to resist swallowing and pushed himself back up to get air. His hands clawed at the shore, the river enchantment already taking hold and making his eyes heavy. To his credit, he did well in fighting it for a moment, coughing up what water he could to keep it out of his body and making it worse than it would be. His friend clambered to his side, pulling Legolas further away from the water and its edge, brushing strands of golden hair from his face.

“Bofur…” His words slurred and he had to fight harder to continue. “You are all right..?” His eyes were almost completely closed now, losing their strength and succumbing to sleep. He didn’t want to but he knew that even he couldn’t resist the cursed sleep of the river.

“Aye, lad, I am. Right foolish-” The rest was lost to Legolas as sleep claimed him. Everything seemed to slow for him and yet didn’t last near as long as he’d like. His dreams were pleasant but tedious, mundane goings on in the forest and the halls, being half dragged and half carried back home, a friend humming softly next to his bed, several carved figures and toys being made and put away or given to elflings. Several times the humming to change to stories being told, a cool wet cloth brushing across his forehead and a hand grasping his own. Sometimes a ‘thank you‘ was muttered beside his ear but he couldn‘t entirely recall why. There was a tenderness to the voice, one that he knew well and was always glad to have close by him.

Such strange things for him to dream but he didn’t dwell on it, not until several days after he awoke.

Bofur stayed at the princes side, barely leaving the room if he could help it. The elves had been in an uproar when Bofur had brought Legolas inside the Halls, both covered in mud and soaked through to the skin. Several of them had offered to take Legolas for him, others tried to make him give the elf up but he stubbornly carried Legolas to his rooms. He cleaned them both up and changed Legolas, carefully, into dry and comfortable clothes before settling him onto his bed before taking a place at the side of it in a comfortable chair.

It would take nearly a week before Legolas even stirred and, in that time, they’d been visited by various elves, servants, Healers and elflings. It gave Bofur plenty to keep him occupied, during the visits, but a part of him enjoyed simply being there with Legolas. He listened to the soft, even, breathing of the elf and his hand was drawn to the pendant that he’d been given as a gift. That touch to the pendant always drew his eyes to the bead that never left Legolas’ braids and his heart warmed. 

He’d tell Legolas what stories he could of Ered Luin, of his family and Bombur’s children. He’d hum a few songs and work on carving figures and small toys for the children to play with when they visited. Once or twice he played his flute, very softly so as not to disturb anyone that passed but enough that it would sooth both himself and the sleeping elf he had chosen to care for.

The day that he did awaken, he found Bofur dozing off at the side of his bed, head bent at an uncomfortable angle and snoring softly but his hand held onto Legolas’ own. The sight only made Legolas smile and chuckle softly. His limbs were still a bit heavy with sleep but he was as stubborn about Bofur’s comfort and well-being and the dwarf was about his. He threw his blanket off himself, careful not to pull his hand from Bofur’s and lightly touching his cheek to wake him. It wasn’t difficult to rouse him, much to Legolas’ surprise, though he reasoned that he may well have fallen asleep only a short while before. Tired eyes opened and blinked several times, as if he thought he were still asleep. Until Legolas gave his hand a bit of a squeeze.

“Legolas?” He questioned. “Lad, I thought ya’d never wake up.”

There were shadows beneath his eyes and Legolas was sure that he’d barely slept at all since he fell into the river. At least, not until Legolas had woken him. Guilt suddenly swelled in his heart and he leaned his brow against Bofur’s before wrapping an arm around him and giving his hand yet another squeeze.

“I’d swallowed more water from the river than I’d thought.” He said softly, an apology going unsaid. “At least my dreams were pleasant, filled with your company.”

A splash of color seemed to filled Bofur’s cheeks and both laughed very softly before Legolas drew them both to the bed.

“You need to sleep. You look as though you might collapse if you don’t.” His voice was just firm enough that it left no question to it. Legolas would not be letting Bofur leave the room. Not until he’d had enough sleep that the sight of his eyes didn’t make the elf worry.


End file.
